ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS STORIES THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DO ON TV

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS STORIES THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DO ON TV. Simon and Schuster; 1957.

This hardcover collection of short stories [also issued as two paperbacks] purports to represent tales that were too verboten to be permitted on network television in the fifties. Ironically, the very first story, "Being a Murderer Myself," was adapted as the episode "Arthur" for a later season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Robert Bloch's "Water's Edge" wound up on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and I believe the somewhat homoerotic "Love Lies Bleeding by Philip MacDonald was adapted as well. M. R. James' "Casting the Runes" was turned into the far superior motion picture Curse of the Demon, and The Most Dangerous Game was also adapted as a motion picture. Perhaps the grossest story in the book, Ray Bradbury's "The October Game," could definitely not be adapted for TV. Once shocking, it now seems rather stupid. All in all, however, this is an interesting collection.

Verdict: Apparently Hitch just couldn't resist some of these. ***.